Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

The Shia and the Sunni refute the Wahabis

As for the criticism, revilement, exaggeration and the accusation of disbelief that the Wahabis raise against the Shia because they take the Prophet (S) and his progeny - the infallible Imams (a.s.) - as means of intercession between them and Allah and they visit the shrines of these Imams and consider them as a source of blessing; this accusation is something new that neither the Shia nor the Sunni knew before.

Muslims, since the time of the Prophet (S) until now, have kept and are keeping on visiting and seeking blessings from holy places and celebrating it in all the lands of Muslims. No one denied that, except for the Wahabis who came up with their new doctrine in the fourteenth century of hijra.

It was very natural for the Wahabis to contradict all Muslims in order to appear as reformers and as people of monotheism on the one hand and on the other hand, to justify their aversion and objection of Muslims to their heresies.1

Indeed, Muslims have never been tried as they have been tried by the Wahabis in this century.2 It is so because of the following reasons:

Firstly, their mission is false, but they have dressed it in the garment of the truth. They prohibit the beseeching Allah by the means of the Prophet (S) and his progeny and punish for it, claiming that it is a kind of polytheism where Allah says:

Call not upon any one with Allah. Qur'an, 72:18.

And this is like the mission of the Kharijites who accused Imam Ali (a.s.) of disbelief and said to him, “The judgment is not yours, Ali, but to Allah.” He said:

It is a word of truth by which the untruth is sought.

It means that the saying of the Kharijites “the judgment is but to Allah” was a word of truth, but the Kharijites intended falsehood by it when they said, “the judgment is not yours, O Ali.” It is certain that the judgment is for Allah alone and not for any human being, but Allah the Almighty made His judgment appear at the hand of His messenger who did not speak out of desire, and then at the hands of the Prophet’s successors whom the Prophet (S) defined and appointed to judge among people with the truth that he had legislated to them.

Surely, the legislative authority is Allah’s alone and does not belong to anyone else and the executive authority is to people alternating with one another. This is something natural that all reasonable people understand. Then, how was it unknown by the Prophet’s companions to say, “The judgment is not yours, O Ali”?

Imam Ali (a.s.) reveals to us that they knew the truth, but they wanted the untruth by raising this doubt.

Allah the Almighty says in His Book:

If you judge, judge between them with equity. Qur'an, 5:42

Surely, Allah commands you to give over trusts to their owners and that when you judge between people you judge with justice…. Qur'an, 4:58

Surely, We have revealed the Book to you with the truth that you may judge between people by means of that which Allah has taught you… Qur'an, 4:105

O Dawud! Surely, We have made you a ruler in the land; so judge between men with justice. Qur'an, 38:26

And that you should judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires. Qur'an, 5:49

But no! by your Lord! they do not believe (in reality) until they make you a judge of that which has become a matter of disagreement among them, and then do not find any straightness in their hearts as to what you have decided and they submit with entire submission. Qur'an, 4:65

Surely We revealed the Torah in which was guidance and light; with it the prophets …judged. Qur'an, 5:44.

After this and through these Qur’anic verses, it becomes clear to us that the mission of the Kharijites was of truth but they did not want it except through untruth and to raise sedition among naive people, who did not know the actual objective of the Sharia.

The same can be said about the mission of the Wahabis. It is a mission of truth, but they do not want it except through untruth with which they deceive simple people, who do not know the actual objectives of the Sharia. They claim that they alone are the true monotheists and the others are polytheists because they call upon human beings with Allah.

It is true when they say, “Allah has said -

The mosques are Allah’s; therefore, call not upon any one with Allah. Qur'an, 72:18

Say: I only call upon my Lord, and I do not associate any one with Him. Qur'an, 72: 20

But they intend the untruth when they prohibit the supplicating to Allah with intercession of the Prophet and his immaculate progeny (peace be on them) and deceive people, claiming that this is a kind of polytheism.

It is clear that there is a difference between those who believe that there are partners to Allah who benefit and harm, where they make a god for everything - the god of goodness, the god of evil, the god of peace, the god of war, the god of love…etc., and those who believe that Allah is One and only with no partner, and that no one can repel His decree, and that He has given them the right to call upon Him through the means of His prophets and saints.

This is the difference between the two beliefs - polytheism and the supplicating through intercession. This is the similarity between the Kharijites and the Wahabis. The Kharijites said, “There is no judgment but Allah’s” and the Wahabis said, “There is no supplication except directly to Allah.” The Kharijites said, “The judgment is not yours, O Ali”, and the Wahabis said, “The means is not yours, O Muhammad!”

In the two sayings there is untruth dressed up with truth. The judgment is to Allah alone, but He has legislated for it for His people to judge among themselves with truth and justice. The means to pray as well is to Allah alone, but He has determined it for His people to take His prophets and saints as a means to Him. This is clear in the Islamic religion and all the previous religions too, since all the divine religions are from one source. The religion near Allah is Islam.3

All the Qur’anic verses that the Wahabis rely on in concluding their proofs do not have any sense of prohibiting the supplication to Allah through His loyal, righteous people. In fact, all these verses have been revealed to refute the polytheists from men and the jinn, who fabricated lies against Allah and worshipped many gods, thinking that those would bring them closer to Allah.

The saying of the Wahabis is not applied to the Nation of Muhammad (S) that is called “the nation of monotheism” and “the nation of faith”, for this nation is free from polytheism. All Muslims recite day and night, the sura of monotheism and faith:

Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah is He on Whom all depend. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And none is like Him. Qur’an 30:1-4

The Prophet (S) referred to this fact by saying:

I, by Allah, do not fear for you that you become polytheists after me, but I fear for you that you may compete with each other for worldly pleasures.4

This is irrefutable evidence that the Muslim nation is free from polytheism, and it is a clear evidence that the nation would compete for the worldly pleasures and authority. The nation would apostatize and judge with other than that which had been revealed and that would lead to oppression, lack of faith, and atheism but would not lead to polytheism at all.

Allah the Almighty has fixed this fact in His Book when saying in the Sura of al-Ma’idah:

Whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unbelievers. …and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unjust. …and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the transgressors. Qur'an, 5:44-45, 47

This is actually what has been happening in the Muslim nation after the death of the Prophet (S) until today. They inserted in the Sharia what was not from it; many positive rulings were added from personal opinion. Thus they changed the rules of Allah. However, Allah does not say that they are polytheists, but He says that they are unbelievers, unjust and transgressors.

All of us know well that the presidents and kings of the Arab and Muslim countries may rule with what is unlike the Book of Allah yet, we do not call them polytheists because they believe in Allah alone with no partner to Him and bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. In fact, we do not consider even the Jews and the Christians, who believe in the Torah and the Gospel, as polytheists when they believe in the oneness of Allah and do not ascribe to Him a child.

Allah the Almighty says:

How do they make you a judge and they have the Torah wherein is Allah’s judgment? Yet they turn back after that, and these are not the believers, Qur'an, 5:43;

And,

And the followers of the Gospel should have judged by what Allah revealed in it; and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the transgressors. Qur'an, 5:47

Thus, the matter has become clear with no need for more details.

Secondly, the Wahabis have occupied the most sacred places for all Muslims of all colors, races and countries. The Holy Mecca has the Inviolable House of Allah to which Muslims from everywhere come to perform one of the pillars of Islam - the hajj - every year, and they are very eager and full of incomparable longing to circumambulate the Kaaba, to stop at the Inviolable Mish’ar,5 run between the Safa and the Marwa, and stop at Arafa.

All these places live inside the consciousness of every Muslim who wishes to visit them even once throughout his life… and Medina where there is the Holy Mosque of the Prophet (S) and his holy tomb inside it. Besides there are other monuments that all Muslims sanctify - the mihrab of the Prophet (S), his minbar, the pure yard (rawdhah), the tombs of Abu Bakr and Umar, the Baqee’ Graveyard that includes the tombs of the Prophet’s companions and wives, the holy tombs of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and the worth visiting places that are highly regarded by Muslims, like Uhud Mountain, the Martyrs Graveyard, the Two Qiblas Mosque and Qabaa’ Mosque.

The Wahabis trade on these rituals to the top, materially and morally. They propagate their new doctrine with all means through gifting or terrorizing, especially during the season of the hajj when millions of Muslims gather together. They hold conferences and meetings, and their agents spare no effort in propagating Wahabism by direct contact with different sects, groups and individuals. Add to that all kinds of the media, which are very effective on the hajjis who give up arguments and disputes during the rituals of the hajj and retire to worship Allah alone.

Thirdly, the vast wealth coming from petroleum, the mines of gold, and the continuous economic activities refreshed by the masses of pilgrims during the seasons of the hajj, the minor hajj and the rest of the year, have helped Wahabism to spread everywhere in the world.

The Wahabis spend great monies on the imams of mosques, who are incited by monies in all places in the world. They have built in every Arab and Muslim capital a mosque or several mosques working day and night to spread this new doctrine. They have established schools, colleges, and universities graduating missionaries to propagate Wahabism throughout the world, sparing no effort in turning people to this new creed.

They have established many press and foundations of publication and distribution and financed more than one hundred daily, weekly, and monthly magazines and newspapers. They spend millions of dollars on mercenary writes to write for them what they like in assisting their beliefs and considering the others as unbelievers. They publish millions of copies of the Holy Qur’an and some books that assist their creed and distribute them freely as gifts everywhere.

After the Gulf War and because people hated them, they began distributing milk and dates among the visitors in Ramadan, and then gifting them at airport with big bottles of Zamzam water written on them “a gift from the servant of Haramayn - the two sanctums”, whereas before, they prevented pilgrims from taking Zamzam water with them onto airplanes.

Fourthly, the international relations the Wahabis have through their firm relation with the United States of America, which has direct and indirect influence on the Arab and Muslim countries, and in fact on the entire world after the decline of the Soviet Union

It is known to everyone that the welfare of the United States of America is assured and guarded in the east and the Gulf States by the Wahabis especially after the fall of the Shah and the coming of the Islamic Republic in Iran - that threatened to attack all the American interests in the region.

It is known too to everyone of understanding that the Wahabis are as much the right eye of the United State of America, as Israel is its left eye; however it (the United States) takes everything from the Wahabis and gives everything to Israel.

It takes from the Wahabis, because it spends great efforts in defending them and guarding their Royal throne (of the Saudi family) and has made its Intelligence Agency ready to reserve the Wahabi regime and do away with all its opponents. It gives to Israel to assure the votes that are controlled by the Jewish Lobby inside the United States and Europe.

This is another subject that requires an individual book to be written about it, but what concerns us in this study is that the Wahabis through their relation with the United States of America have come to be feared in the Arab and Muslim countries and all over the world. While mosques are closed after the prayers in some Arab and Muslim countries for fear that some groups may use them as centers for propagation of their beliefs and thoughts, we find that the mosques of the Wahabis are open all the time for their propagandists to give lectures on what they like for spreading their thoughts.

Wahabism has acquired this legality because of the great gifts, helps, and loans given to those countries. Therefore, those poor countries submit to the conditions of the Wahabis in permitting them to spread their creed, and preventing the books and magazines that reveal their plots.

This has happened even in France, the strong modern country that claims it defends freedoms, human rights, and freedom of speech. It is France itself that defended Salman Rushdi and adopted his book, but at the same time, it prevented the book “the History of Aal Sa’ud” which reveals the reality of Wahabism. The French government collected the copies of this book from libraries, because the Saudi Kingdom saved France from the economic collapse in 1984.

Then, Saudi Arabia gave to France seven hundred million dollars, and it has been said to be much more than that. After that, hundreds of mosques were built in Paris only to propagate Wahabism there, whereas the Ahlul Bayt Center (a Shiite foundation) was closed under the pretense that it had adopted excess and terrorism. The French police began pursuing everyone following the line of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), while Wahabism and its followers flourished there.

Add to that the league of the Islamic world that has been established by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It includes the Arab and Muslim presidents and kings who have been under the Saudi influence.

This is just a small insight, but what is plotted behind the scenes is known by Allah alone. Therefore, I often say that Muslims have never seen a calamity worse than Wahabism.

Notes

1. The tombs of the imams and saints are still visited in all the lands of Muslims. In fact, new tombs were found during excavations that made even secular and atheist governments to keep them safe with no damage. An example is what happened to the regime in Iraq, when the government with its different machinery and equipment failed to remove those tombs after the happening of many miracles that forced the government to give up the project or change its place. The same thing took place in Lebanon and other places in the Muslim countries in the world. In fact, when people see the miracle, they ascribe the tomb to a prophet, a saint, or a descendant of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s,), until a group of scientist come and prove who the identity of the person is in the tomb.

We have never heard in any place that people worshipped the tomb. They honor those who have been buried in those tombs, because they are our role models and means to Allah, and honoring them is from the rites of Allah.

2. Wahabism is ascribed to Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab…ibn Wahab at-Tamimi. He was born in 1111 AH and died in 1207 AH. In his early life, he studied at the hands of many ulema of Mecca and Medina who were experts in deviation and misleading. His father often dispraised and warned people against him, and so did his brother Sulayman ibn Abdul Wahab, who denied him and wrote a book refuting him.

He was fond of reading about false claimants of prophethood such as Musaylama the Liar, Sajah, al-Aswad al-Ansi, Tulayha al-Asadi, and others…! Refer to “The Emirs of the Inviolable Country” by Sheikh Ahmad ibn Zayni Dahlan, and “Kashful Irtiyab fee Ittiba’ Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab” by Sayyid Muhsin al-Amin al-Aamili.

Thus, he grew up deviant, doubtful, and spiteful. He was just like Kemal Ataturk and many rulers of the Muslim countries who claim that they are Muslims; however, they are directed by Freemasonry and nursed by the world intelligence agencies.

Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab was fed by the British agent in Iraq. Mr. Hanfer has mentioned this in his autobiography. He prepared and assisted him to achieve his ambition in prevailing over Hijaz. He and his likes are worse than their ancestors such as the Kharijites because the Kharijites had risen out of ambiguity. On the other hand these people are mercenaries working for the welfare of the enemies of Islam.

It is natural that his misleading mission did not incite any except the ignorant nomads, as it was with Musaylama - the Liar and his group opposite to the true mission of the Prophet (S) and his progeny and followers. Therefore, his mission of deviance did not spread through conviction, but through treason, deceit, invasion, oppression, suspicious treaties and breaking of covenants in order to get to his satanic desires.

3. The origin of the suspicion of Wahabis in their judgment that all Muslims are polytheists and that their blood and properties are to be violated - as they actually did in Mecca, Medina, Iraq and other places of the Muslim lands - is because they (Wahabis) claim that those Muslims worship graves when honoring, kissing and circumambulating them besides building the domes and minarets over them and some things like that!

In fact, there are many Prophetic traditions narrated by the Shia and the Sunni about seeking the intercession of the Prophet (S.) and other than the Prophet (S.) in this worldly life and for worldly or afterlife needs.

Abdullah Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (S) said, “No man dies and forty men, who do not associate with Allah anything, carry out his funerals except that Allah accepts their intercession for him.” Refer to Sahih Muslim, Part of Intercession.

Sayyid Muhsin al-Amin (may Allah have mercy on him) comments (mockingly) on this tradition, saying, “The forty men must be from the nomads of Najd (Wahabis) so that their intercession would be accepted!” (Najd now is Saudi Arabia). In Sahih Muslim, it has been mentioned from Aa’isha that the Prophet (S) said, “No one dies and a group of people, who reach one hundred, offer the prayer (of the dead) on him and who all intercede for him, except that Allah accepts their intercession for him.”

According to the thought of the Wahabis, this must be a kind of polytheism, because, as they claim, it contradicts this saying of Allah -

…so invoke not any one along with Allah. Qur’an 72:18

We seek the protection of Allah from this great fabrication against His Holy Prophet (S)! There are many Prophet’s traditions about intercession, and ulema say that there is no difference between a dead and alive person.

As-Samhudi ash-Shafi’iy, the alim of Medina, says in his book al-Wafa bi-Akhbar al-Mustafa, vol. 2 p. 419, quoting al-Hakim that Umar ibn al-Khattab narrated that the Prophet (S) said, “When Adam committed the sin, he said, ‘O my Lord, I ask You by the right of Muhammad that You but forgive me.’ Allah said, ‘O Adam, how do you know Muhammad while I have not created him yet?’ Adam said, “O my Lord, when You created me and inspired in me from Your Spirit, I raised my head and saw on the posts of the Throne written “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (S)…’ Allah the Almighty said, ‘O Adam, you are right. Surely, he is the most beloved of all creation to Me. Since you asked Me by his right, I forgive you. Were it not for Muhammad, I would not create you.” He mentioned that this tradition was mentioned by at-Tabarani, and by al-Bayhaqi through true chain of narrators in his book Dala’il an-Nubuwwah.

In other traditions, it is mentioned that Adam and Noah supplicated to Allah by means of the Five of the Aba (Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn, peace be on them all).

About this matter, Imam Malik asked al-Mansur, “Why do you turn away from him (the Prophet) while he is your means and the means of your father Adam to Allah the Almighty?”

As-Samiri al-Hanbali, al-Kirmani al-Hanafi, and the Shafiite ulema believe in the supplication by the means of the Prophet (a.s.) and believe in his intercession after his death. Imam ash-Shafi’iy supplicated to Allah by means of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) after their death. He supplicated to Allah by the means of Imam Abu Haneefa , and he approved the supplication of the people of Morocco by the means of Imam Malik after his death. Ahmed ibn Hanbal supplicated to Allah by the means of ash-Shafi’iy and so on. These are the ulema and jurisprudents of Islam, then, who are the rude nomads?!

4. Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 7 p. 207.

5. A place where one of the rituals of the hajj is performed.

Kharijites’ doubt in the past and Wahabis’ in the present are the same

The Kharijites, in the past raised the doubt of “the judgment is Allah’s alone” and the Wahabis in the present raise the doubt of “servitude is to Allah alone”. There is no place for criticizing their mere calls when there is no context. But if the mission is coupled with a political doubt or a certain benefit in contradicting the beliefs of others, then it is a false mission dressed in the garment of truth.

As for the mission of the Kharijites, it was buried on the first day, because Imam Ali (a.s.) disclosed it and revealed its false reality when he said, “It is a word of truth by which untruth is intended.” Rather, Imam Ali (a.s.) fought the Kharijites with no leniency according to the will of his brother and cousin the Messenger of Allah (S) and he did away with them and with their mission forever.

As for Wahabism, it became strong and widespread with the assistance of the British firstly and the support of the United State of America and the West secondly. This was for a certain purpose that analyzers and learned people of the Muslim nations knew well. The United States of America especially and the West in general, fights Islam and considers it the only danger that threatens their beliefs and welfares.1

We saw how they allied with each other in fighting the Islamic Republic of Iran and tried and are still trying, to do away with it as much as they possibly can by all means. Some of their presidents openly announced that they had supplied their agent Saddam with all fatal weapons and all experiences to do away with the Islamic Republic. When they failed here and the Iraqi opposition became strong inside and outside Iraq, they feared that their experience with Imam Khomeini might be repeated in Iraq, where the Shia are more than two thirds of population. They feared that the revolution in Iraq might unite with the revolution of Iran.

Then, they played their filthy trick by occupying Kuwait and declaring war not against Saddam, as they claimed, but against the Iraqi people, where the Shia are more than seventy percent of population. And this is actually what happened - Kuwait was rebuilt better than before and the regime of Saddam became stronger than before, but the oppressed Iraqi people who were terribly destroyed, began selling their furniture and clothes to get a piece of bread.

By doing so, the Wahabis obtained victory over all the Shia in the world. In fact, the plot was to degrade the Shia and drive them to the camps in Saudi Arabia to meet there all kinds of insults, torture and killing.

Allah says:

The Jews will not be pleased with you, nor the Christians until you follow their religion. Qur'an, 2:120

Today, we see the Jews and the Christians (the United States of America and western countries) show cordiality to the Wahabis. Or, are they pleased with them, because they themselves flatter and show them cordiality? At the same time, they are also full of grudge against the Shia in Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran and even in France.

They used all kinds of the media to defame and accuse the Shia of terrorism, fanaticism, and puritanism.2 The media, financed by the Wahabis, was successful in dividing the Shia, making some of them disagree with others, doubting their beliefs, and concentrating on some negative practices that some of ignorant Shia follow in Ashura. They openly criticized the great religious authorities, suspected their justice and honesty and accused them of leaving the wealth of Muslim for their children to spend it recklessly. The media was successful in buying the consciences of some prominent Shia personalities to raise the banner of deviation for misleading.

In fact, there was no time more dangerous to the Shia than this time. The true Shia must think of the affairs deeply, because they are threatened by many enemies. Anyhow, their patience and faith bring good news of optimism. Allah the Almighty says:

Obey Allah and His Messenger and do not quarrel for then you will be weak in hearts and your power will depart, and be patient; surely Allah is with the patient. Qur'an, 8:46

As we have said that the doubt of the Kharijites was based on the saying that “the judgment is Allah’s alone”, the doubt of the Wahabis was based on the saying that “servitude is to Allah alone”. Despite the fact that two sayings are alike, the saying of the Wahabis is more effective than the saying of the Kharijites who focused on the rule (judgment).

Before Imam Ali (a.s.), the rule was assumed by Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman who all ruled as they liked and gave judgments that contradicted the clear texts of the Qur'an and the Sunna of the Prophet (S), but no one objected to them. At least, history did not mention to us any objection that was worth mentioning.

People were used to the rules of the caliphs and they accepted them as continuity to the rules of Allah, misinterpreting the actual rulings as they liked. Therefore, this saying (of the Kharijites) did not find any influence in the selves of the majority of Muslims who adopted the doctrine of the Saqifah which showed that people were free to choose their ruler and they did not believe in the choice of Allah.

They relied on the Qur’anic verses in deriving their evidences that the obedience to the ruler, who is a human being, was obligatory; these verses confirmed the doctrine of the Saqifa and were called “the verses of consultation” like this verse:

O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you,” Qur'an, 4:59

The prophet’s traditions which they relied upon in concluding that the obedience to the ruler was obligatory, were too many as well.

Therefore, the doctrine of the Kharijites was sentenced to death by the majority of Muslims even if Imam Ali (a.s.) did not refute, because it was strange to them and to their concept of the rule. Thus it would not receive any acceptance especially from those who were greedy to rule and take authority from the Umayyads and the Abbasids, and how many they were!

But as for the doubt of the Wahabis, it depends on the saying that “servitude is to Allah only”, and surely there is no Muslim who does not believe in this obligation, when Muslims always recite this verse:

They were not enjoined anything except that they should serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience, upright, and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, and that is the right religion. Qur'an, 98:5

The Wahabis made use of the behaviors of some ignorant Muslims during the age of decline when there were many juggleries, jugglers and quacks being fed by colonialists. The Wahabis took such kind of people as a clear argument to accuse Muslims of disbelief and polytheism. And then went on to permit their killing in bloody wars and continual assault of peaceful places that were overcome by force and oppression.

If we ponder on their argument they rely on, which is this saying of Allah,

“And that the mosques are Allah’s, therefore call not upon any one with Allah,” Qur'an, 72:18,

we shall find that it is like the saying of the Kharijites that “rulership (judgment) is Allah’s alone” where Allah says:

There is none to be a guardian for them besides Him, and He does not make any one His associate in His Judgment. Qur'an, 18:26

Even though this verse shows that Allah does not let anyone participate in His judgment, many other verses give the right of judgment to man. We have mentioned some of them and said that there was no contradiction or difference between them, but the meaning is that the legislative judgment is to Allah alone and not anyone else, even if it is a prophet or messenger. Allah has declared this in His saying:

If he had fabricated against Us some of the sayings, We would certainly have seized him by the right hand. Then We would certainly have cut off his aorta. And not one of you could have withheld Us from him. Qur'an, 69:44-47

As for the executive judgment, Allah has made it for His prophets, messengers, the caliphs from His saints and the imams whom He chooses. By this interpretation, the meanings of the verses become right.

It is the same about the verse that prohibits man from calling upon anyone with Allah as there are many verses that give man a right to supplicate to Allah by means of His prophets, messengers, and saints. There is no contradiction between the verses; the first verse talks about deity and servitude and that deity is Allah’s alone. The other verses declare that Allah has given the right of intercession and being a means to His prophets and saints.

To explain this matter, which is ambiguous to the Wahabis and to some Muslims who have been influenced by the Wahabis, it is useful to mention a debate between one of the Wahabi ulema and me. Because of its uses, I shall mention it as it was.

In the year 1983, I was preparing a thesis on the rights of woman in Islam. During my reading in some magazines, I was surprised by the fact that the Muslim woman in Comoros is the custodian of man. She builds and furnishes her house. Then, when getting married, she brings her husband to her own house, and if she divorces him, she drives him out of her house. She works in the market, and the role of her husband is fishing in the sea, working in the field, and fetching goods to her in the market. She herself sells and buys. Thus, women in Comoros are custodians of men. How wonderful it is!

I traveled to this place after a difficult journey. I knew that France had given independence to three of the islands of the country and kept one until now. Comoros, as a new country, had joined the League of Arab States, which offered their help. Among those help was the educational delegation from Tunisia and other countries that was sent to Comoros to teach the Arabic language to the students of religious studies, most of whom were Arab from Yemeni origins called Hadharimah (related to Hadhramaut). Among them, there were sayyids from the pure progeny of the Prophet (S) who spoke Arabic besides French and the local language.

At the airport, I met with one of the Tunisian teachers whom I had known twenty years ago from a meeting in my youth. He recognized me and I recognized him. He invited me to his house where his wife and children had traveled to Tunisia and he was alone at home. I accepted his invitation and remained with him in his house.

During my residence there, I became acquainted with the Mufti of the Republic and the Judge of judges. I talked with them on many subjects. They trusted and loved me when they knew that I was from the followers of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). They complained to me about the bad treatment and hatred they were facing from the Wahabi ulema who had begun coming into the country successively in greater numbers with monies and books.

The Wahabi ulema were successful in attracting many youths to their line of thought through money because these youths were living below the poverty level. Thereafter, those youths began blaming and disrespecting their fathers while before they had highly regarded and kissed their hands and heads and stood up when they passed by. They had inherited these morals generation after generation. The Prophet (S) has said:

He is not from us (not a Muslim) who is not kind to our little children, does not regard our old people and does not observe the right of our scholars.

He3 said to me, “However, when the Wahabi ulema - the ulema of evil - came to us, their intention was not but to do away with these good morals and habits that we had been brought up with. A man from us, even though he is married and has some children, kisses the head and hands of his father and seeks his satisfaction and supplicates for him. But now, our children resist, criticize, and accuse us of polytheism, claiming that kissing of hands and the bowing before someone is a prostration for other than Allah and it is mere polytheism. There is a distance and resentment between fathers and children since the first day when these people came to our country. There is no power save in Allah!”

One day, the Mufti of the Republic invited me to accompany him to inaugurate a new mosque built in Moroni Island. I went with him in addition to the Judge of Judges, whose name was Abdul Qadir al-Gilani. When we arrived in the mosque, it was full of guests and ordinary people. The Mufti introduced me to the attendants and asked me to make a speech on that occasion. I responded and thanked him for that honor.

I made a speech, in which I emphasized on the love to the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and their great position to Allah and to the Messenger of Allah (S), who had ordered Muslims to love and observe them and declared that loving them would be from faith and hating them would be from hypocrisy. I talked in details about their virtues and the great favors they offered to Islam and Muslims. At the end of my speech, I talked about their vast knowledge and sciences that filled the world and benefited the Muslim scholars everywhere on the earth and I said that if the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) were not available, people would not know these features of their religion.

The Mufti asked one of the ulema there and made him stand beside me to translate what I said. At the end of my speech, people came kissing and greeting me and praying Allah to have mercy on my parents.

This scene made one of the Wahabi ulema angry, whom I recognized by his long beard and Saudi uniform. He came, shook hands with me, and said, “Fear Allah O Sheikh! All of us love the Ahlul Bayt, but you were too excessive in loving and honoring them.”

I said, “I pray Allah to make me die on that.”

He said, “You are my guest inshallah.”

I said evadingly, “I am guest of the Mufti of the Republic.”

He said, “Tomorrow then!”

I said, “Tomorrow, I am guest of the Tunisian teachers.”

He said, “All of them are my friends, and we shall meet there.”

Notes

1. They call Islam as “the great danger coming from the east”. Since the time of colonialism until now, the plundering of Muslim countries has been continuous by England, France, Italy, the United States of America and others… After that, came out new serpents calling themselves with new names - mandate, defending or guardianship. All that was not enough and it appeared that it was the stage of incubation. After that, came the international organizations to assure the welfares of the great countries:

League of Nations, established in 1919 after the First World War

The United Nations, established in 1945 after the Second World War

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), established in 1949…and many others…even

the Treaty of Baghdad…and finally the time is for the American policy to be defined after it showed you the Statue of Liberty, but the liberty that must be in compliance with the American style that has become a play in the hands of the international Zionism!

We see today the competition between many Arab governments to win the Israelite content, as if they have mistakenly interpreted this verse:

…and for that let the aspirers aspire. Qur'an, 83:26.

2. Of course, they do not mean by puritanism the keeping to the fundamentals of religion, for this is a virtue, but they mean by it the middle ages of oppression and darkness, which means underdevelopment, ignorance and being opinionated.

3. The author means either the mufti or the judge.